The problem of attaching or removing materials from physically remote bodies, such as tree limbs or overhead wires is well known. There are a number of ways to approach this problem, especially when the tree limb or overhead wire is outside of hand's reach. One approach to the problem is to use a ladder or some mechanism which actually raises the person doing the work to the level necessary to allow them to attach the material to the desired body.
In general, a more satisfactory approach for simpler attachments has been to use a mechanism that effectively extends the reach of an individual by using a device which allows the individual to stand at ground level and reach out to the remote body. These devices have been used, and while an improvement over physically moving individual workers, frequently these devices have a number of moving parts which can make them expensive to manufacture, and cause some difficulties in maintenance. Also, a number of these devices which involve remotely operatable fingers, etc. can be difficult for an operator to master and use efficiently.
Additional problems are encountered when the remote body which is to have the material attached to it is sensitive to damage, such as a plant. Plant limbs, and some nonorganic bodies, can be very sensitive and susceptible to damage, especially if the manner in which the materials are attached to them damages an outer covering or bark. A number of methods using spring clamps to attach materials around electrical wiring or hooks to remove materials clamped to wires or ropes, etc. are unworkable for the use of attaching or removing materials from more fragile bodies, such as young fruit trees.
As illustrated by the above discussion, there are a number of desireable features for a device or apparatus for attaching materials to remote bodies, such as overhead wires or tree limbs. It would be desireable to have a device which allowed one to attach the material to a remote body such as a tree limb without requiring that the operator be removed from the ground. It would be desireable to have a device to attach materials to a remote body that is mechanically simple, to minimize or eliminate moving parts to reduce the cost of production. Further, it would be desireable to have a device to attach materials to a remote body such as a tree limb which is straight-forward to operate. In addition, it would be desireable to have a device to attach materials to a remote body such as a tree limb which would not damage the body to which the materials were attached. It also would be desireable to have a device for attaching materials to a remote body, such as a tree limb, which could be stored compactly when not in use.
While the discussion herein relates to devices and methods for attaching materials to remote bodies such as tree limbs, it is not intended that the invention be limited to this situation. It will be obvious from the description that follows that the present invention will be useful in other applications with problems common to those described herein.